Big Questions About Proposed Appalachian Storage Hub/Petrochemical Complex

We’ve heard the news reports that the Appalachian Storage Hub/Petrochemical Complex project will be a “game changer” for our region, but how will it change our current “game”?

If anyone follows any major team sport, you know that a game changer is good for one side, but not for the other. In this instance, let’s name our “teams” as follows: Water Defenders vs. Corporate Profiteers. Now, here are the variables (or questions) we see in view of this impending match up.

Please tell us which side you think will win and which side you want to be on:

  • Air and water pollution at cracker plants, and other parts of the infrastructure.
  • Climate change will shift from severe to catastrophic if we keep adding more fossil fuel projects!
  • Massive water extraction and pollution at cracker/processing plants.
  • Natural gas liquids are highly volatile, more so than dry gas (methane)
  • Complex and uncertain regulations for natural gas liquids infrastructure.
  • Increased gas fracking, as well as toxic petrochemical and plastics processing facilities, in our state and region.
  • Tax payer dollars are already being tapped for a study of this proposed project, and those who stand to profit from the project are authoring the study.
  • Leaks from underground storage caverns and massive pipelines could lead to sinkholes, water contamination or explosions.
  • This project would lead to increased petrochemical industrialization of Ohio River Valley. The experience of people in Cancer Alley of the Gulf Coast region informs us that the grave health risks outweigh the economic benefits.
  • Risk of contamination of water intakes for up to five million people who depend upon the Ohio River as their sole source of tap water; the Ohio River is already known as the most polluted inland waterway in the country.
  • Many communities in the Ohio River Valley region are already economically challenged; many people in these communities can’t afford to move or have poisoned water and increased health problems from air or water contamination.

A real game changer flips the same old, same old fossil fuel story. It’s time for water drinkers and air breathers to win! Team up! 

 

 

 

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The Author

Robin Blakeman

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